Unusual. Challenge yourself to rethink your ideas about what subjects are appropriate, and then challenge yourself again to find an unusual perspective on your subject.

This picture is a selfie, a reflection of my front yard off the glass storm door. Every time I walk through this way, I adjust the American flag that we fly proudly on our front porch. The wind blows into the corner and tends to catch the flag and flip it once, sometimes twice, around the post before I notice it and straighten it up again.

I do this week after week until it’s time to retire the flag for the Boy Scout Troop at our church, and we put up a new flag.

I don’t think it’s a great picture from an aesthetic point of view. I’ve taken better. In fact, I was playing around with reflections all week trying to come up with today’s post, but I picked this one after I spontaneously posted this #gratefultweet on Twitter:

I woke up in a reflective mood. It’s been a crazy week with news of war, and in spite of rhetoric, sometimes artfully deceptive, but mostly absurd, I feel no more hopeful than when all of this started. It stings to be talking of war on yet another 9/11 anniversary, one that is now doubled as a reminder of unresolved Benghazi questions.

I was going to let today pass with just some private reflection. Prayer. A visit to the Adoration chapel at the church down the street from where I work.

But then I thought, no. I like this picture; I’ll post it today. I like that the flag, though caught in dim light, it’s color starting to fade, is the focal point. Though everything behind it may seem colorless, you can see I’ve played up the colors in the flag.

I searched for the meaning of those colors and found this explanation:

“The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice.” from usflag.org

I like that, and my prayer is that we always exhibit those qualities as a nation.

“Sea. What kind of emotions does the sea or ocean make you feel? Do you remember the first time you went in the water? Had a wave crash on you? Felt the sand burn your feet? Do you feel more peaceful around water? Do you hate the beach? What’s the most interesting thing about the sea for you?”

This picture was taken at St. Joe’s Beach, Florida in August. It’s one of my favorite areas, though really, any beach is one of my favorite places. I’ve always loved the beach. I think the beach has loved me back, too. It’s always a source of tranquility and refreshment for me.

My earliest recollection of the ocean is Miami Beach, though my mother has told me stories of going to Varadero Beach in Cuba. I wish I could remember, but even if I did, I would have been too young to enjoy the ocean by swimming out until my feet couldn’t touch the bottom.

I don’t do that anymore although I have plenty of happy memories from the days I’d snorkel at Key Biscayne (El Farito) and scuba diving in Pennekamp Park.

I’ve seen the crystal waters of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico from the beaches of the Yucatan peninsula and the Florida panhandle, enjoyed swimming in the Atlantic Ocean from Key West to Jones Beach in New York, and dipped my toes in the cold waters of New England and across the ocean to the gorgeous, and freezing La Concha in San Sebastian. From there I’ve moved across Spain to Barceloneta and meandered along la Costa Brava and skipped through many beaches in the French Riviera. I’ve seen the beautiful Pacific in Monterey, California and Homer, Alaska.

Of all those beaches my favorite is always the one I happen to be enjoying at the moment. Especially if it’s with this guy:

“Focus. This week’s challenge is inspired by Matthew George’s post on focus, in which he introduced us to the basics of depth of field and aperture.”

There’s a little play on words here. What are you focused on?